Bessemer plant



2 Sheets-Sheet 1.-

(No Model.)

W.'HA1NSW0RTH.

BESSEMER PLANT.

No. 272,683. Patented Feb. 20, 1883.

Ell/l A 2 Sheets-'Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

W. HAINSWORTH.

BESSEMER PLANT.

Patented Feb. 20,

@NTTED STATES aTaNT WILLIAM HAINSWORTH,'OF PITTSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA.

BESSElVl ER PLANT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 272,683, dated February 20, 1883.

Application Bled January 16, 1883. (No modcLl l To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I,WILLIAM HAINsWoRTH, of Pittsburg, county of Allegheny, State ot' Pennsylvania, have invented or discovered a new and useful Improvement in Bessemer `Plants; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, concise, and exact description thereof', reference being had to the accom partying drawings, making a part of this specication, in which-like letters indicating like parts- Figure I, Sheet l, is a plan view of a Bessemer plant illustrative of my invention. Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view, to a scale larger than Fig. 1, ot' a heating-pit employed in my improved plant; and Fig. 3 is a plan view, partly in section, of such pit. Figs. 4 and 5, Sheet 2, are vertical sectional views, partly in elevatiomofa casting-pit and operating meollanism employed therein, forming a part ot' my improved plant.; and Fig. 6 is a top plan view of the mechanism shown in Figs. 4 and 5.

In the manufacture and reduction ot' blooms of Bessemer steel the labor required and the time expended in casting the ingots and reheating the same for rolling form comparatively large items oi' expense; also, the presence of workmen in close proximity to the Huid metal or heated ingots exposes them to danger more or less, and as a rule the danger is increased as the number of workmen are increased. It is therefore desirable, bot-l1 for commercial and prudential reasons, that such a construction and combination ot' the parts of a plant be employed as will permit of the least number ol workmen and consume a comparatively small amount ot' time in el'ecting the several steps of manufacture, in order to utilize as i'ar as possible the heat of the ingot, when cast, in preparing it for subsequent reduction by rolling in the blooming-mill.

The purpose of my present invention is to secure these advantages to a greater degree than heretofore by the use of an improved plant for carrying out the several steps of manufacture.

In general terms my invention consists in certain combinations of a converter, a ladle and runner-box for pouring metal into the molds, av car-track, a castingpit formed loeneath and asa section of such track, and lia-V- and combined as hereinalter more .fully der scribed and claimed.

In the drawings, Fig. 1,1 have illustrated the general arrangement of myimproved plant, comprising a converter, A, a ladle, B, a crane, C, for carrying the ladle to and from `the converter, a runner-box, l), for conducting the metal from the ladle to any desired one of VKSeveral molds, a car, E, t'or carrying the molds E', a track, F, and a casting-pit, H, under and forming a section of'the track, the same heilig located within the arc 0f crane C or runnerbox D, or preferably in the arc of both, a heating-pit, l, also formed under and as a section ot' the track, a blooming-mill, K, for reducing the ingots to blooms, and a crane, L, for transterring the ingots from pit I to the bloomingmill. Ot' these several parts of the plant, the converter A, crane O, ladle B, oratie L, and blooming-mill K may be ot' the usual or any desired constriction adapted to the purposes for which they are ordinarilyemployed in Bessemer plants.

The car-track F is run from the converter totlie blooming` department, and at some point therein in convenient proximity to the converter, and by preference in the rotary arc of crane C, is constructed a casting-pit, H, as lollows: Ashat't or hole, 1L, ot' suitable depth and,

area in cross-section, is sunk under the track at the desired point, and is walled in with masonry to afford protection from water and other injuries. On the bottom of this shalt is secured a hydraulicram, N, carrying a platen, n, on the upper endot'its pistonnt. The depth ot' the shaft is determined with reference to the length of the ram and the desired extent or range ot' lift from the surface downward. The platen is guided in this movement by angie-irons It', set in the corners or in other convenient positions on the side walls ofthe pit.

IOO

a frame-work, e, and lifting rods or stirrups vspending in relative arrangement with the po- Water or other suitable fluid medium under pressure is supplied to the ram-cylinder by pipe n2. This ram, both in construction and operation, may be substantially like those in common use lor kindred purposes in the arts, and therefore need not. be described in detail.

In order to lock and support the platen a in position level, or approximately so, with the licor F', levers h2 are pivoted at or near their' ylower ends in side recesses, h3, which levers are connected by cross-rod h4, and are moved at their upper ends in opposite directions by handlever h5, whereby such upper ends may be set under the edges of the platen to support the same. as illustrated in Fig. 5, or may be moved outward free from the platen, so as to permit of its descent.

On the upper face of the platen n are secured rail-sections f, adapted in their position and arrangement to register with and form a section ol' the car-track F.

The car E may be ot' the usual or any suitable construction adapted to carryone or more iugot-molds, E', preferably a nest of four molds,which are connected at their bases with e', by which the molds may be placed upon the car, or may be raised from the car-bed e2, leaving the molds standing thereon. Suitable means for stripping the ingotsin this manner are in common use in the art, and therefore need not be described in detail.

In casting, the car, with its molds, is run upon the track-section f and the platen a is lowered, sinking the car and molds together into the pit sufficiently to permit the bracket d, carrying the runner-box l), to be turned or rorated on its center post, d', into position`directly over the molds. This box D is provided with bottom openings or spree-holes, d2, corresitions ofthe molds.

In order to prevent metal from spatteriug against the sides ofthe molds as it is run in, baked clay or clay-lined tubes d3 are secured to the under face ot' the runner-box by a case or sheath, as at d4, with their tubular passages inline with the holes d2. Then the runner-box has been turned into position the oar and molds are raised by the ram, thereby passing the tubes d3 into molds any desired distance, preferably near to the bottom. As the molds are lilled with metal they are lowered in the pit, thereby withdrawing the tubes.

lt clay tubes are used, or tubes of other material which will not be destroyed by or be injurious to the metal, they may be allowed to enter the metal in the moldsand thereby insure, even to a greater degree, the filling ot' the molds without sputtering their sides. This feature ot' advantage in casting Bessemer ingots is greatly facilitated by making the molds vertically movable while being iilled, whereby the tubes d3 may be inserted and withdrawn at pleasure without moving the runner-box or ladle. This ladle B may be of the usual construction, operated by the crane C in the usual way, both in filling at the con verter-mouth and in empt \ing into the runner-box, the usual stopper, b, heilig provided for closing the tapping-hole H in the bottom. The crane G is by preterencelocated, with reference to carrying the ladle, directly over the casting-pit H; but if for any cause this cannot be done, the metal may run from the ladle to the runner-box through a suitable spout. It will also come within my invention to run the metal directly from the ladle into the molds without the use of the runner-box, the molds and their carrying-car being lowered into a pit beneath the track for this purpose, as before described.

The molds being tilled, as above described, the ladle and runner-box are turned aside, and the car is raised to the surface by the ram, and then may be run off onl the track F to the blooming department, or to other desired points.

In the line of track, at convenient distance from the blooming-mill K, and within the arc ofv crane L, a pit, I, is sunk, which is walled with masonryand lined with tire-brick or other suitable relractory material, with reference to preserving a comparatively high degree of temperature within the chamber thus made. In the bottom of this chamber is secured a ram, R, similar in construction and operation to the ram N in pit H, such ram R having a platen, r, mounted on piston r', which platen carries the track-sectionj", adapted to receive the car from the main track F when the platen is raised, and to lower the car, with its load ot' ingots, into the pit as the platen is lowered. The bed c2 of the car corresponds, by preference, in form and area ot' surface approximately to the cross-section of the chamber I, into which itis lowered, so that when lowered such car-bed forms practically a close bottom for that part of the chamber in which the ingots are contained, and thereby protects the track, truck, platen, and ram from injury by heat. Previous to lowering the ingots and ingot-car into this chamber or pit the molds E are stripped ott" by the provisions for this purpose before described, and when lowered the chamber is closed by a cover, S, having therein lids or small openings and covers s, through which the ingots may be raised, one by one, as required, without opening the whole chamber. The cover S audits smaller lids s may be made of metal, or preferably ot' metal frames tilled with lire-brick. The purpose of this chamber is to maintain or raise the ingots at or to the required degree of heat. This may be done by closing the chamber with the ingots inclosed, and in case the ingots themselves contain suficient heat in their interiors it will pass to or reheat the surlace of the ingots, being prevented from escaping by the surrounding walls, the chamberV thus performing substantially the function of a soaking-pit.

ln case the ingots do not contain suflcient heat for the purpose stated, the chamber may be heated to the required degree before lowering the car therein by introducing heated IOO IIO

gases in any convenient way. In practice l contemplate the use ot' this pit or chamber more especially for the purpose of receiving comparatively hot ingots and for keeping them at the requisite temperature until desired for blooming. If additional heatis desired, I prefer to employ aregeneratorlurnace ot' any suitable construction for such purpose, which is located in the arc of crane L, as at P, and therefore in convenient proximity to both the pit I and blooming-mill K. As the iiigots are required for blooming they may be removed, one by one, by the crane L, through the separate small openings s until all or any desired number have been removed, when the car, with such ingots as may remain, may be raised altogether, the whole cover S being removed, the car be run off on track F, and another loaded car be run. over and lowered into the chamber, as before described. The crane L being located with the pit I and blooming-mill K in its rotary arc, ingots may be transferred directly from one to the other with little loss of time or lient.

1n carrying out the several operations herein described, especially those of casting and heating preli min-ary to rolling, the duties ofthe workmen will be light, and the immediate presence of but few will be required around the casting and heating pits. Consequently they will to a great degree be removed from danger and relieved from severe labor and exposure to excessive heat; but comparatively few workmen will be required at any part of' the operation, and the successive steps can be carried ont rapidly and in quick succession, thereby rendering it possible and practicable to utilize a large percent ige of the heat of the iiigotiastirst cast in preparing it for reduction in the blooming-mill. These aie important considerations in the economical manufacture of Bessemer steel, and by the improved plant herein described I provide for securing these advantages to a much greater degree than heretofore.

I claim herein as my invention- 1..A Bessemer plant having in combination a converter, a ladle, a crane, an ingot-car and.

track, a casting-pit located in and beneath the track, and lifting mechanism for movingr a section ot' the track, with the car and its load, np and down within such pit, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

2. In a Bessemerplant, the combination ofa converter, a ladle, a car-track, a car for carrying ingotmolds, a pit beneath the track, and a ram within'the pit carrying` a section ot the track, substantially as described, whereby the car and molds thereon may be lowered to receive the metal from the converter through the ladle and be raised to be run off on the track.

o. ABesseiner plant having in combination a converter, A, a ladle, B, a crane, C, for carrying the ladle, track F, car E, carrying molds E', a pit, H, under the track in the rotary arc of the crane, and a ram, N, in such pit, carryl inga section ofthe track, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

4. The combination ofrunner-box D, having tubular projections d3, extending downward from its discharge-holes, molds E', and merlianisin, substantially as described, for raising and lowering the molds with reference to the runner-box, whereby the tubesare inserted and withdrawn into and from the molds to prevent spattering the mold-Walls.

5. A Bessemer plant havingin combination a converter, a ladle and ladle-crane, arunnerbox, a track and car adapted to carry ingotniolds, a pit beneath the track and in the rotary arc ot' the ladle-crane and runner-box, a ram, N, in such pit, carrying a section of the track, and adapted to raiseand lower the car, with its load, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

6. A Bessemer plant having in combination a converter, a blooming-mill, a cartrack eX- tending from the converter to the blooming departments, a car adapted to carry ingot-niolds and ingots on the track, a casting-pit located beneath the track, near the converter, with a ram therein carrying a section of the track, a lieating-pit located beneath the track, near the blooiniiig-mill, with a ram therein carrying a section of the track, such rams being adapted to lower the ingotcar, with its load, into and raise it from the respective pits, and cranes for tansferring the metal from the converter to the car and from the car to the bloomingmill, substantially as described.

7. In a Bessemer plant, the combination of a blooming-mill, a cartrack leading to the bloomingmill from theconverting department, a car adapted to carry ingots thereon, a heating-chamber located near the blooming-mill and beneath the track, a raiiiin such chainber carrying a section ofthe track,and adapted to lower the car into and raise it out of the chamber, and a removable cover to close the chamber when the tracksection is lowered, substantially as set forth.

S. In a Bessemer plant, the combination of bloomngmill K, track F, ingotcar E, a heating-cliamber, I, located near the bloomingmill and beneath the ti ack, ram R, carrying platen t, with a section of the track thereon, andtcrane L, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

9. In coiiihiiiatioii with a car-track, a heating chamber located beneath the track, a rain in such chamber, carrying a platen with a section of the track secured thereon, an ingotcar having a bed adapted in form and size to till approximately a cross-section of tlie cliamber and form a bottom to the chamber when lowered within it, and a removable cover for closing the chamber above when the platen and car are lowered, substantially as set forth.

l0. In aBessemer plant, the combination of blooming-inill K, crane L, track F, ingotcar E, heating-pit l, located beneath the track in the arc ofthe crane, and mechanism, substan` tially as described, for lowering and raising a IOO IlO

section of track, with the car, into and out of l the heating-pit.

11. In aBessemer plant, the combination of a crane, a blooming-mill, a car-track, an ingotcar, a heating-pit beneath the track, having;` a, lifting' mechanism for lowering and raising aJ section of' the track, with the car and its load, into and outJ of the pit, and an ingoia heating furnace, such blooming-mill, pit, and.I furnace being located at different points in the 1o rotary arc of the crane, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereofI have hereunto set my hand.

WILLIAM HAINSWORTH. Witnesses:

R. H. WHITTLESEY, C. L. PARKER. 

